The Politics of Starving

I don't think that's it at all. He's talking about something less personal and more universal. He's talking about the heedless self-interest of capitalism and it's disregard for the cultures and beliefs of others as it imperialistically forces political and economic liberalism on other peoples. It also has to do with globalization and the movement of factories outside of the US to poor countries and how it's all going off without a hitch because the WTO and IMF are allowing it. The factories in asia and in the maquiladora zone of mexico are being exploited to the point where they can't even eat right. In this sense they are asking the consumer to trade material wants at the price of other human beings, and this trade-off is the politics of starving.

A closer version of the corect lyrics I've made up:

It's time for some real world politics economics, history, math, and english born, and raised and bred walking a thin line between lost and succeeding it's another cannibal the rules aren't changing, if you really don't like it, if the threats always been there the terror always happens

For all the fights, for all the songs, all we said all we have is these pictures of us and if it doesn't matter now then it never really did without this we might as well be dead

They're all black and white people and that doesn't have anything to do with us after all these years it's still an arms race after all these years they still don't fucking get it lives and cultures matter more than capitalist interest it's the FBI, it's the CIA, it's the ATM, it's the IMF, MTV takes it to the end, fuck you

For all the fights, for all the songs, all we said all we have is these pictures of us and if it doesn't matter now then it never really did and without this we might as well be dead

When you are so hungry that you'd believe anything well they're selling you the politics of starving and what the fuck does that really mean to us?

He doesn't mention HMOs or MTV. The line is, "...It's the FBI, it's the CIA, it's the ATM, it's the IMF. NBC, CBS, FUCK YOU!"

These lyrics sounds right to em....

It's time for some real world politics Economics, history, math and English. Born and raised and bred walking a thin line, Between lost and succeeding and don't ever care about. The rules aren't changing it if you really tell it like it is Threats always been there, terror always happens.

For all the fights, for all the songs, all we said. All we have are these pictures of us. If it doesn't matter now, then it never really did, And without this, we might as well be dead.

They're all black and white people, And that doesn't have anything to do with us. After all these years its still an arms race, After all these years they still don't fucking get it. Lives and cultures matter more than capitalist interest. It's the FBI. Its' the CIA. It's the ATF. It's the IMF, NBC,CBS. Fuck you.

For all the fights, for all the songs, all we said. All we have are these pictures of us. If it doesn't matter now, then it never really did. And without this, we might as well be dead.

When you are so hungry that you'd believe anything. Well, they're selling you the politics of starving. And what the fuck does that really mean to us?

fucking bad ass song!!

i think he seems a bit frusturated. like.. he's been fighting for something, and it seems like it's not gotten him much further, and that people still don't believe in his cause. either way, he realizes that his cause still means something to him, and his friends that are supporting him, and .. that .. they'll keep going (luckily). yep. that's my take on the song.

i agree sexin, i think he is talking about the struggle the constant need to believe in the cause that is keeping him alive and putting food in his mouth.. the down's are just as low as the up's are high and thats what i think he means

i completely agree with scalewagjim, this song is about the international problems facing our earth and cultures today.

"When you're so hungry that you'd believe anything" - I think they're talking about what scalewagjim and ...and i melt are talking about; taking advantage of the size of the world...the way corporate america looks at it, the world has so much space so it must be used, and with third-world countries out there (that continue to be third-world countries because of US [that was a pun if you didn't catch it (I'm american by the way, but don't want to start any war)]) since the starvers (hence the song title) are desperate for aide that should be given to them so the US invades these places and use the starving people because they'd "believe anything"...well, consider this the politics of starving.

...one more thing: there are a couple parts in this song where Thomas sings stuff that is completely NOT what the lyric sheet for Reinventing Axl Rose reads - the lyrics shown here are the same ones - and I've tried to figure out what he's screaming where he departs from them and I can't make out a damn word. Anyone else know what he's screaming?